One of the Khan’s men

OK, I did a bit of work on them but they is so life like.

Sukhbaatar Square Winter

A snow that could last till March. It is amazing how quickly the snow thickens on the ground. It falls so fine and yet carpets the ground in minutes. These pictures were taken from the northwest corner of the square.

Turning clockwise, looking southeast,

south southeast and

due south, looking down Chinggis Avenue towards the Tol river. Notice anything? ………. new buildings going up at all points of the compass. 9 towers cranes in the pictures with more off camera. Each building is taking a minimum of three years to complete because to the winter shut down. The guys and gals in the red safety coats are clearing the whole square of snow. The polished marble surface of the square is an absolute nightmare to walk on after a snow. A real bum bruiser.

Death on the Streets.

A homeless man lay dead outside my office window this morning.
- 20 deg C last night.

A blog to mark his passing.

Going Home

Photgrapher unknown from 2005

Standard winter wear. What do they remind you of?

Photgrapher unknown from 2005

And here with Snow White!

Photgrapher unknown from 2005

Trundle, trundle.

Trampoline

Photgraph by Gek

The trampoline is in the lads living quarter compound. A lot of practicing gets done.

Photgraph by Gek

Great fun too.

Kindergarten Class - Lotus

Photgraph by Gek

Cute or what? There are a couple of young ladies in Singapore I know will appreciate this photgraph!!!! I will do my best to keep the images coming.

Lotus Medals

Photgraph by Gek

The Lotus Kids took 30 medals from the Cultural Nadam!!! Yes thirty!

Photgraph by Gek

In all categories. Song, dance

Photgraph by Gek

and guitar. Congratulations to them all.

School Nadam Cultural Competition

Photgraph by Gek

Recently there was a cultural competition for UB school children. A sort of Cultural Nadam!!

Photgraph by Gek

Lotus kids contributed dance, song and musical instrument entries. The Lotus kids really distinguished themselves, performing with energy and totally without inhibition.

Photgraph by Gek

Lotus kids are fearless. Give them a microphone and an audience and off they go. Totally sweet.

Images from summer – Dadal Jockeys

Elegance on a horse. No side saddle for Mongolian women.

Dad and daughter.

I was going through the summer photo files and found some images that didn’t make the blog on the first time round.

Faces, I just love them.

These are from the Dadam Nadam Festival we visited.

The ring master and the tired little lads. 15-20 km of hard, cross country riding that kills the weakest horses. No hard hat and no saddle.

Sandra’s Farewell

The children gave Sandra a leaving concert.

Any excuse to dress up and perform!!

Which of course required a farewell speech.

Six hours before her flight and a last chance for us to enjoy a meal together. Sandra is a true volunteer, getting herself here under her own steam. Her time here has given Mongolia much more than she is taking away. A new friend to Gek and me.

Children’s Felting Products

Photgraph by Gek

Sandra and Gek have been showing the children how to make felt products. I know what you are thinking. Coals to Newcastle, right? Well, yes, but why not an Aussie? They do know a lot about sheep. Rugby? Well not sure anymore after the world cup result!!!! With the Singaporean, you might have a point!!!!

Photgraph by Gek

Well, these are the kids efforts and I for one am impressed.

Photgraph by Gek

The idea is for the kids to make these felt products during extra curricula activities in the new Arts and Crafts Centre with a view to selling them to visitors. A cracking idea. I defy anyone to visit the centre and not walk out with one to these original pieces of art work………… and minus more than a few dollars!!!!!

Photgraph by Gek

But they do need a source of non breakable dry felting needles. Can anyone help?

Compare and Contrast

In spite of the danger of repeating myself............................

Sussex. Green, lust grass, damp, misty (- 5 to +30 deg C)

Terelj. Brown, rocky, semi-desert. clear (-40 to +35 deg C)

I didn’t really think about most of Mongolia being semi desert before we came. The Gobi, yes, but the rest, no. Bizarrely, if trees are growing away from a river, they are invariably on the north facing slopes of the hills. Looks all wrong!!! And as I think I have mentioned before, all the rivers are running north towards Russia doesn't feel right either.

More of Gek’s Arts and Crafts Building

Geks office. Again, what a transformation (see previous blog). Loads of materials in the store room too, most of which have been brought by a series of summer visitors to Lotus.

The main room is now dry and warm. The new insulation in the roof has yet to be really tested by the mid winter cold but with recent temperatures down to –10 deg C, it seems to be up to the job.

Uugii is working on the felt sides for a mobile phone case

First Snow 2007

6th October 2007. The first snow of the winter. 6 days previously we had been picnicking by a river in the Terelj National Park and now it has snowed and it was bloody cold. The wind was blowing across the open ground we crossed on the way to the centre making things much worse. Unexpected black ice caused cars and busses to pirouette on the main road to the airport. Luckily, all in slow motion!!!

Saturday Felt Product Making

Photgraph by Ooganaa

Gek and Sandra had an extra felt product making class for these kids on Saturday morning. I went along to put up a picture rail and hang the new curtains. The children are extremely sweet and loveable. What can I tell you!!!!!!

Change of Address

New Email

david.whitworth1@gmail.com

Terelj in Autumn

I know, we are back again. But this time it is Autumn with amazing colours to the trees.

There is a picture of the Turtle rock on a previous blog. This is the view from the other side of the rock. There is only one vantage point from which the rock looks anything like a Turtle. The small white speck on the side of the distant mountain is the Meditation Centre. The three muskateers are in the foreground!!!!

And this is the view from the Meditation Centre looking back towards the rock. See if you can spot it. Hint. Looks from here like a rude gesture!!!

Day in the Park

After the monument we took off to Terelj in the Russian van.

Ganat our driver for the day was not out of place in this gathering of seniors.

What can you say. Brain cannot believe what your eyes are seeing. And everything is so sharp because of the dry air.

Food of course, by the river. Sandra, Sue and Gek in picture. Two Aussies, one Singaporean, one Englishman and one Mongolian sitting down to lunch.

The ground was a bit damp, so Ganat gallantly brought a make shift seat from the van.

South of the river

A big Buddha statue looks out north across the city

With an eagle for company.

The Buddhas, bottom left, seems be trying to hold up the encroaching buildings!!! Back, Back!!!! And check out the pollution. The sky line should be a profile of hills not a brown smog cloud. The smog is mainly a result of the ger coal fires.

T 54 tank, I think. The scwiggly line on the base shows the tanks route from Moscow to Berlin which ennded the European War in 1945.